One of the #coffinassault accused has told the high court sitting in Middelburg‚ Mpumalanga‚ that he did not see anything wrong in the video which captured part of an incident where a man was forced into a coffin.
This was shortly after state prosecutor Robert Molokoane played the footage in a packed courtroom.
Victor Mlotshwa was placed in the coffin after he was apprehended on one of the farms in Blinkpan and accused of stealing copper cables.
His mother Lonea Mlotshwa cried hysterically when the footage was played. She was taken outside to compose herself.
Molokoane asked Willem Oosthuizen during cross examination if he saw anything wrong in one of the videos which he captured on his cellphone.
“Do you see anything wrong with the video‚” Molokoane asked.
“No‚” Oosthuizen responded.
Molokoane further put it to Oosthuizen that he had testified that “the coffin was used to scare off thieves”. Oosthuizen agreed.
“Was it used on black people? People who had stolen?” Molokoane asked.
Oosthuizen confirmed this.
Molokoane asked why the people who had been placed in a coffin before‚ including Mlotshwa‚ did not report the matter to the police. Oosthuizen said he did not know.
Molokoane put it to him that Mlotshwa did not go to the police because he was threatened‚ but he refuted the claim.
“ is quite severe. It is painful‚” Molokoane said and Oosthuizen agreed.
Oosthuizen and his co-accused‚ Theo Martins Jackson‚ are facing charges of attempted murder‚ two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm‚ kidnapping‚ intimidation‚ unlawful possession of a firearm and defeating the ends of justice.
The cellphone footage went viral on social media‚ causing widespread outrage.
Oosthuizen and Jackson are also accused of concealing evidence by allegedly burning the coffin either in October or November.
They have pleaded not guilty to all the charges. but have admitted to placing Mlotshwa in the coffin because they wanted to scare him.
Oosthuizen told the court that Mlotshwa threatened to burn their crops‚ kill their wives and children should they take him to the police for the theft of copper cables.
The trial continues.
- SowetanLIVE
Source: TMG Digital.
Accused sees nothing wrong in video showing man being forced into coffin
This was shortly after state prosecutor Robert Molokoane played the footage in a packed courtroom.
Victor Mlotshwa was placed in the coffin after he was apprehended on one of the farms in Blinkpan and accused of stealing copper cables.
His mother Lonea Mlotshwa cried hysterically when the footage was played. She was taken outside to compose herself.
Molokoane asked Willem Oosthuizen during cross examination if he saw anything wrong in one of the videos which he captured on his cellphone.
“Do you see anything wrong with the video‚” Molokoane asked.
“No‚” Oosthuizen responded.
Molokoane further put it to Oosthuizen that he had testified that “the coffin was used to scare off thieves”. Oosthuizen agreed.
“Was it used on black people? People who had stolen?” Molokoane asked.
Oosthuizen confirmed this.
Molokoane asked why the people who had been placed in a coffin before‚ including Mlotshwa‚ did not report the matter to the police. Oosthuizen said he did not know.
Molokoane put it to him that Mlotshwa did not go to the police because he was threatened‚ but he refuted the claim.
“ is quite severe. It is painful‚” Molokoane said and Oosthuizen agreed.
Oosthuizen and his co-accused‚ Theo Martins Jackson‚ are facing charges of attempted murder‚ two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm‚ kidnapping‚ intimidation‚ unlawful possession of a firearm and defeating the ends of justice.
The cellphone footage went viral on social media‚ causing widespread outrage.
Oosthuizen and Jackson are also accused of concealing evidence by allegedly burning the coffin either in October or November.
They have pleaded not guilty to all the charges. but have admitted to placing Mlotshwa in the coffin because they wanted to scare him.
Oosthuizen told the court that Mlotshwa threatened to burn their crops‚ kill their wives and children should they take him to the police for the theft of copper cables.
The trial continues.
- SowetanLIVE
Source: TMG Digital.
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